1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air conditioner and a drive control apparatus for the air conditioner.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well known that, as one of drive control means for controlling the operation of an air conditioner, an air conditioning mode is employed in which the air conditioning capability of the air conditioner is minimized to allow the air conditioner to be operated continuously.
It is also known to control both of an air conditioner compressor and the number of revolution of a fan in an indoor unit of the air conditioner in dependence on the heat load.
In either case, this type of air-conditioning mode has been employed as one of air-conditioning modes of a drive control means. In other words, even in the drive control apparatus for the air conditioner having this type of air-conditioning mode, the above described air-conditioning mode cannot operate unless the air conditioner is kept in operation by means of a drive control means used to selectively drive and stop the air conditioner, as disclosed in, for example, the Japanese Laid-open Patent Publications No. 53-53146 and No. 59-0487, published in 1978 and 1894, respectively.
FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings illustrates a flowchart showing the sequence of operation of one embodiment of the prior art drive control apparatus for the air conditioner in which the drive control means for controlling the air conditioner is provided with an air-conditioning mode during which the air conditioning capacity is kept minimized to allow the air conditioner to operate continuously.
Referring to FIG. 1, subsequent to the start of operation, and if the selection of "DRIVE" by the drive control apparatus is "N" as determined at step 101, step 102 takes place at which the air conditioner is brought to a halt. If, however, the selection of "DRIVE" by the drive control apparatus is "Y" as determined at step 101, the program flow proceeds to step 103 at which a decision is made to determine if the selection of a continuous drive air-conditioning mode by a selector means is "Y" or "N". If the result of decision at step 103 indicate "Y" or "N", the program flow proceeds to step 104 for the continuous drive air-conditioning mode or to step 105 for an ordinary load-responsive air-conditioning mode, respectively.
FIG. 2 of the accompanying drawings illustrates a flowchart showing the sequence of operation of one embodiment of the prior art drive control apparatus for the air conditioner in which the drive control means for controlling the air conditioner provided with an air-conditioning mode during which the air conditioning capacity is kept minimized to allow the air conditioner to operate continuously is provided with an ON timer for controlling the drive control apparatus so that the air conditioner can be brought into operation at a preset hour set in the ON timer.
Referring to FIG. 2, subsequent to the start of operation of the system, and if the preset hour detected by an ON timer hour detecting means is "Y" as determined at step 201, step 202 takes place and, if the selection of the continuous drive air-conditioning mode by a selector means is "Y" as determined at step 202, the continuous drive air-conditioning is carried out at step 203. On the other hand if the selection of the continuous drive air-conditioning mode by the selector means at step 202 is "N", the ordinary load-responsive air-conditioning is carried out at step 204. If the preset hour detected by the ON timer hour detecting means at step 201 is "N", step 205 takes place. If the selection of "DRIVE" by the drive control apparatus at step 205 is "N", the air conditioner is brought to a halt at step 206. However, if the selection of "DRIVE" by the drive control apparatus at step 205 is "Y", step 207 takes place. If the selection of the continuous drive air-conditioning mode by the selector means is "Y" or "N" as determined at step 207, the continuous drive air-conditioning is carried out at step 208 or the ordinary load-responsive air-conditioning is carried out at step 209, respectively.
FIG. 3 illustrates a flowchart showing the sequence of operation of one embodiment of the prior art drive control apparatus for the air conditioner in which the drive control means for controlling the air conditioner provided with an air-conditioning mode during which the air conditioning capacity is kept minimized to allow the air conditioner to operate continuously is provided with an OFF timer for controlling the drive control apparatus so that the air conditioner can be brought to a halt at a preset hour set in the OFF timer.
Referring to FIG. 3, subsequent to the start of operation of the system, and if the preset hour detected by an OFF timer hour detecting means is "Y" as determined at step 301, step 302 takes place at which the air conditioner is brought to a halt. However, if the preset hour detected by the OFF timer hour detecting means is "N", step 303 takes place. If the selection of "DRIVE" by the drive control apparatus at step 303 is "N", the air conditioner is brought to a halt at step 304. On the other hand, if the selection of "DRIVE" by the drive control apparatus at step 303 is "Y", step 305 takes place. If the selection of the continuous drive air-conditioning mode by the selector means is "Y" or "N" as determined at step 305, the continuous drive air-conditioning is carried out at step 306 or the ordinary load-responsive air-conditioning is carried out at step 307, respectively.
According to the prior art drive control apparatus of FIG. 1, once a stop is selected, the air conditioner ceases its entire operation. Where with this prior art drive control apparatus a space to be air-conditioned is desired to be air-conditioned continuously to make the space comfortable to live in, the necessity occurs to select the air-conditioning mode while the selection by the drive control means is made at all times to "DRIVE". While the air-conditioning of the space to make the latter comfortable to live in can be accomplished with minimized energy consumption if the air-conditioning capacity of the air conditioner is minimized by a selection mode as hereinbefore described, the user of the air-conditioner may often feel that to keep the air-conditioner in the "DRIVE" condition at all times is not economical.
Where the drive control of the air conditioner is controlled by the drive control apparatus of the type referred to above, it may often occur that, although the user of the air conditioner desires it to be continuously operated, he or she may exercise a routine procedure (drive or stop control) to render the selection of the drive control means to "STOP" when he or she leaves the space to be air-conditioned, that is, a room, and may suspend the continuous air-conditioning he or she has desired.
Also, once the air-conditioning is suspended in the manner as hereinabove described, the temperature in the room to be air-conditioned will increase, when it has been cooled, or decrease when it has been heated, before the air-conditioner is re-started. Accordingly, subsequent to the re-start of the air-conditioner, a relatively long time is required for the temperature in the room to attain a desired value and the comfortableness of the room will be lost up until the temperature in the room attains the desired value, accompanied by an increase in electricity expenses.
According to the prior art drive control apparatus of FIG. 2, once a stop is selected, the air conditioner is brought to a halt upon arrival of time at the preset hour in the ON timer. Where with this prior art drive control apparatus a space to be air-conditioned is desired to be air-conditioned continuously to make the space comfortable to live in, the necessity occurs to select the air-conditioning mode while the selection by the drive control means is made at all times to "DRIVE" without utilizing the ON timer. While the air-conditioning of the space to make the latter comfortable to live in can be accomplished with minimized energy consumption if the air-conditioning capacity of the air conditioner is minimized by a selection mode as hereinbefore described, the user of the air-conditioner may often feel that to keep the air-conditioner in the "DRIVE" condition at all times is not economical.
Also, with the operation effected with the use of the ON timer for controlling the drive control apparatus so that, when the preset hour in the ON timer comes, the air conditioner is brought into operation, the selection of the continuous air-conditioning mode results in that, regardless of the actual load, the air conditioner may be operated with its air-conditioning capacity minimized and, therefore, the operation of the air-conditioner may not bring about effects so much as expected.
According to the prior art drive control apparatus of FIG. 3, once a stop is selected, the air conditioner ceases its entire operation before and after the arrival of the preset hour set in the OFF timer. Where with this prior art drive control apparatus a space to be air-conditioned is desired to be air-conditioned continuously to make the space comfortable to live in, the necessity occurs to select the air-conditioning mode while the selection by the drive control means is made at all times to "DRIVE" without utilizing the OFF timer. While the air-conditioning of the space to make the latter comfortable to live in can be accomplished with minimized energy consumption if the air-conditioning capacity of the air conditioner is minimized by a selection mode as hereinbefore described, the user of the air-conditioner may often feel that to keep the air-conditioner in the "DRIVE" condition at all times is not economical.
Also, with the operation effected with the use of the OFF timer for controlling the drive control apparatus so that, when the preset hour in the OFF timer comes, the air-conditioner is brought to a halt, it may often occur that, although the user of the air conditioner desires it to be continuously operated, he or she may exercise a routine procedure (drive or stop control) to render the selection of the drive control means to "STOP" and may suspend the continuous air-conditioning he or she has desired.